Portable bowling alley



' s sheets-sheet 1 J. R. JOHNSEN El AL PORTABLE BOWLING ALLEY FiledApril 27, 1931 Oct. 9, 1934.

Oct- 9, 1934 J. R. .JoHNsEN Er Al. 1,976,563

PORTABLE BOWLING ALLEY' Filed April 27, 1931 5 Shet-Z-tS-Slleei'I 2 Oct9, 1934- J. R. JoHNsEN Er A.L

PORTABLE BOWLING ALLEY Fi1ed.April 27, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 9,1934.

J. R. JoHNsEN ETLAL PORTABLE BOWLING ALLEY Filed April 27, 1931 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct- 9, 1934- J. R. JoHNsEN Er Al." 1,976,563 I vPORTABLE BOWLING ALLEY Filed April 27, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 PatentedOct. 9, 1934 PoarfieLEjBovi-LNGLALLY James R. v.ollnsen andAzrellQlfortywChicago, Il.

` Application' April Yt7, .1931, serial'rfo. 533.090 'rjcieimsf .(ci.4.avai- 51")1 'This invention: relates to improvements in porte' ablebowling alleys and it consists of the matters hereinafterA described andmore particularly' pointed out in the appended. claims.

The primary Object of the invention is topro vide a portable bowlingalley which' may be set up for use and taken apart or knocked down yforstorage, without the aid of tools of any kind, the various parts beingso formed and'intertted that they lock together in place to forni 'arigid, level alley upon which the gamemay be played with satisfaction.'i f v A further object of the invention' is to provide an alley of thiskind, including a pit and agutter which also serves as a ball return,the latter being made in sections as is the bed of the alley and towhich it may be easily and quickly attached and detached. Y Stillanother object of the inventionis'to -provvide in an alley of this kind,a pit construction which is yieldingly connected to the alley to reduceIthe impact of the ball and .pins so that the back-stop thereof haslagreater period of useful'- ness and the noise andA clatter of the .balland pins is reduced to such an extent as to be unobjectionable. f.

These objects of the invention as well-as others, together with the manyadvantages thereof, .will more fully appear as we proceedv with ourspecication. 1. v

In the drawings:,,-

Fig. 1 isa top plan View of a portable.bowling alley embodying ourinvention, `in set-up form., Fig. 2 is a View in side elevation of the.samel as viewed from the left-hand side of the alley and shows one ofthe gutters formedto provide a ball.

return.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale,

of the pit end of the alley, in its set-up condition,

with parts broken away to more fully illustrate the constructionthereof. Y

Fig. 4 is a -top plan viewon the scale of'FigB Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview of one off 'the gutter.

sections in itsv folded condition.

Fig. 8 .is a perspective view'of a certain c'ori'ijA necting clip orbracket embodied in onev oij` the wall whichY carries an impact cushionor pad is gutter sections ofour improved alley. f

Fig. 9 is a'perspective view'of another y connect; .ing clip' embodied'in one-of the gutter'sections of` our improved alley and which clip isadapted for' cooperation withthe clip* or bracket shown in Fig; 8."

Fig. l10. is a detail longitudinal vertical sectional iew 'throughtheabutting ends of the two'alley sections Withthe combinedlocking bar andsupporting beam inthe position it occupies before Lit is turned toextend'transversely to draw andlock said alley section ends together. i

Fig. 11' is'a View similar to that shown in Fig. 10 withthej locking barand supporting-'beam inla position locking said alley section vends in aldrawn together position.

Fig. 12 is a detail horizontal'sectional view'on an enlarged scalethrough the alley sectiorilocking` means' astaken on the line 1'2-12 ofFig. 11; Fig. 13fis a bottom plan view ofone of the in` termediate alleysections on the scalevof FigsfB and 4. L

Fig. 14 is a detail horizontal sectional View similar toFig. 12 andillustrates more particularly the arrangement'v of the 'openings in thevalley section connecting yokes. il Fig. 15 is a plan view of one end ofonel of the supporting beams and locking bars employed in our improvidedalley construction and illustrates more particularly the engagementofthe gutter brackets o'i" clips therewith.

ln' general, our improved alleycomprisesY a plurality ofalley sections;namely, a pit and pin end section, a ball delivery or foul line sectionand a number of intermediate sections. Said seca; tions, each ofwhich'include's a ball-way or deck; are adaptedto abut, end to end andassociated with `such'endsv of adjacent sections are members operabletodraw said ends Vtightly together and' thereafterlcck them in thisposition, said me1n-.v bers'thereafter forming the transverselsupporting beams ormembers for the alley. When'said mem` bers are inthis position, they extend 'laterally beyond' each side of said sectionsso as to there operatively support a sectional gutter. and one of saidgutters is' employed ,asa ball'return.' For this'purpose" that sectionofr said one of said gutters', atthe'ball delivery end'o'f-the alley, isin' clined downwardly to forma ball stop.

' Associated with the rst mentioned alley section'is a pit into whichthepins falllupon lbeing engaged bythe bowled ball. Thispit includes side 1boards or walls and 'a cross walljdetachably con-1:

nectedl together and yieldinglyconnected as a whole to the associatedalley section.l The cross provided with floorengaging rollers so thatupon impact from the `bowled ball, the `pit yields rearwardly to returnto normal position, ready for the next ball to be bowled.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention, illustratedin the accompanying drawings, our improved alley consists of a pit orpin end section 1, at the front end of the alley, a ball delivery orfoul line section ,2 at the rear ofthe alley, and intermediate sections3, 4 and 5 respectively. The words front, and rear are used only forconvenience ofv expression and with respect to the direction in which abowler faces the alley when delivering a ball upon the alley- As theconstructions of the various alleysections are substantially alike, adescription of one will suffice for all. lAs best shown in Fig'. 13vwhich illustrates a bottom plan view of one of the intermediate alleysections, the same comprises longitudinally extending side'stringers orsills 4a` and similar intermediate stringers or sills 58L spaced asuitable distance apart and connected at their ends by .transverse frontand rear end members 6 Vand 7respectively and by intermediate Y.transverse brackets 8 8. At each end of each section and following aboutthe various sills and associated cross members and secured thereto inany suitable manner, are pairs of metallic strips 9-9 asbest shown inFig. 13 whereby a strong rigid frame is provided for each alley section.Y y

To such a frame for each section there is secured on the top thereof, adeck or ball-way 10 in the formV of flooring-like boards. The endmembers and 7 arel oppositelyrabbeted as at `11 (see Fig.

10) so as to better interengage each other and the tongue 12 of eachcross member is angled off at the sides as at 13 in Fig; 13 to engage inthe like angled off end 14 .of the groove 15 of the other end of anabutting section.v By this angled oi arrangement of the tongues andgrooves Aof the rabbeted connection of the said cross members, thevarious sections become self-centering or self-aligning and a goodevendeck orfball-way is assured Wherein thecross seams are reduced to such aminimum as to in no manner cause a bowled ball to deviate from itscourse-` H Each cross member 6 and 7 has secured to the center of itsbottom surface, horizontally disi posed U-shaped, metallic brackets 16and 17 respectively. These brackets are made of ilat metallic stock andthe free ends of the bottom armsthereof are adapted to overlap. In theoverlappingparts of said arms, are provided oppositely facing key-holeor figure 8-like openyings 18 for engagement by certain locking cams aswill soon appear. y These openings 18 extend Vtransversely of` saidbrackets as best shown in Fig. 14 and lwhen the bracket arms are firstengaged, ajpart ofthe opening in one arm is offset slightly, withrespect to an associated part o-f the like opening inthe other arm asappears inY Each beam-.like ,memberv is made up of a pair of y laterallyspaced, edgewise disposed boards 19e-19*3L secured together in parallelrelation by a plurality of rectangular, strap-like brackets 20 v and21-there beingga bracket 20 at the middle of said member and a bracket21 at each end` thereof. In the top part of the middle or center bracketis secured an rupright stud 22, includingl top and bottom oppositelyfacing, cams 23, that part of the stud between saidv camsY being of. anr elliptical instead of a circular cross section. Said stud is adaptedfor insertion up through the opposite facing key-hole-like openings 18in the associated U-shaped brackets 16 and 17 respectively when saidopenings are in substantially the relation shown in Fig. 14. In the toppart of each end bracket 21, of those supporting beamsl at each end ofthe alley, is formed anopening 24 best shown in the upper right-handcorner of Fig. 3`and inthe bottomfleft-hand,corner of Fig. 4 and thepurposes of which will later appear.Y In the end brackets 21 of each ofthe intermediate beams 19 is formed an opening 24a into which opensarecess 2lilo extending longitudinally of the beam.

In assembling the alley sections together, they are preferably stoodupright upon their' sides to expose the overlapping ends of the members16 and 17. A beam or cross member is then taken in hand and cam 23 ofthe stud 22 thereof, is then insertedthrough the registering lopenings18 in said members 16 and 17,',to bring saidA cams upon opposite sidesof saidwmembers. The beam is then turned aboutlthe stud-22v as an axisso as to extend transversely of the sections and lines up with thelmeeting endsv thereof. In this turning movement of the beam, the stud22 so operates against parts of the openings 18as to not only snuglydraw the brackets r16 and 17 and associated alleyends togetherlongitudinally, but the cams 23-232act to draw said brackets together inthe plane of the axis of said stud' 22. This drawing together of the`brackets in this last mentioned direction, alsoacts to more tightlyengage the rabbeted end members 6 and 7 to-4 gether in the plane of`said axis of the stud to insure a perfect connection between the` alleysection ends. Y

When the beams are thus disposed, their ends project beyond the sidesof'the alley sections so that the various openings as mentioned, inr theend brackets 21 of each beam. are exposed. When the various sections aresecured together by the beams, they are placed upon the floor or otherVprovided Von its end brackets with headed studs' 25 as best shown inFig. 3.

The brackets 21 for the various cross beams are each. provided withleveling or adjusting screws` 21a as best shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6respectively. v

At the front of the alley is provided the, pitl indicated as a whole at26. This pit includes an upright head or cross board27 andupright. sideboards 28-28 of a height to extend the desired distance above the bed of`the alley. Each side board which is cut away at its rearbottci'mcor-vner as shown invFig.` 2 is providedvonlits innerv surface near its rearend,with an angle mbar v'strip' 29, the` horizontal `flange V30 of#which ,I engages upon the top surface of the end of an associated crossbeam`19. In each flangel ,30, is vprovided a esta which said head willthen overhang the sides of said slot forward of said enlargement.`

Each side board has an outwardly extending hook-like stud 33 to receiveone end of a spring 34, the other end of which is adapted for en'-gagernent with a similar hook 35 extendingoutwardly from that beam 19facing the' pit. The front edge of each side board is provided withloops 36 to receive hooks 37 on the `ends of the head board whereby theside boards and head board are detachably connected together. The headboard is provided at its bottomrwith suitable rollers 38 for engagementupon the floor or other support upon which the alley is set; Associatedwith said head board is an impact pad or cushion 39, having hooks for adetachable engagement for the top edge of the' head board. Duringbowling upon the alley, they bowled ball and probably some of the pinswill strike the cushion. The impact thereof, will be partially absorbedby the pad or cushion and will also be partially absorbed by the springs34 in the guided movement of the pit as a whole. If desired a vsuitablepad or cushion 40 may be employed upon the floor of the pit but this isnot absolutely essential. l. i

At each side of the alley bed or ball-way as provided by the varioussections, is also Vprovided a gutter, each indicated as a Whole by thenumerals 41 and 42 respectively, the former being the left-hand gutterand the latter being the right hand gutter. Such gutters are primarilyintended for guiding those bowled balls which roll off the alley bedinto the pit and one of them; namely, the left-hand gutter in thisinstance, is used as a ball-return from the pit.

` While both gutters are sectional and are of substantially the sameconstruction, one section of the left-hand gutter in this instance;namely, the rearmost section, is pitched downward so that the returnedballs are conveniently disposed for use in another bowling. Each gutteris nade up of a pit end section 43, a delivery orfoul linel section 44and intermediate sections 45, 46 and 47 respectively.V In Fig.7'isil1ustrated one .of the intermediate sections which includes .abottom board 48 and a side guide board 49 hinged together along one edgeby longitudinally disposed hinges 50. The straps of said hinges aredisposed on the outside of said boards and act to hold the boards in thedesired angular relation which is greater than as best shown in Fig. 5.To the front end of each side guide board is pivoted a connecting clip51, adapted when the sections of the gutters have been set up, tooverhang the front end of the guide board of the next gutter section asshown in Figs. 1 and 2. On the front end of the underside of the bottomboard of each gutter section is secured a clip or plate 52 (see Fig. 8)having a forwardly extending and slightly offset finger 53. On the rearend of said surface of each bottom board is provided a plate 54 (seeFig. 9) having a depending laterally disposed hook 55.

In assembling the gutter, it is most convenient to start with the guttersection 43. With said section folded together in the condition shown inFig. 7, the finger 53 on the front end thereof, is inserted into theopening 24 in the bracket 21 of the cross beam 19 at the pit end of thealley.

As the gutter sections are each of a length approximating that ofthealley bed or ball-Way sections, this will bring the hook 55` on the rearend thereof, in line with the opening 24a in the A'associated bracket 21of the next cross beam and ito which it i's nseitled In applying',` rearend of the gutter section in place, said hookis. first engaged in saidopening 24a and'then the; rear endof said section is moved laterallyinward Vso thatA said hook enters the recess 24b to engage the undersideoff the bracket 21. The side guide board of that -particularguttersection just positioned, may now be opened up and its rear end will restagainst the associated side board 28 of thcpiti l nThe second guttersection is now grasped while in' its folded condition andthe finger 53on the front end thereof, is inserted in the opening 24a of the endbracket-21 of the next orsecond cross beam 19 and to the/outsideor rearclosed end of the hook 55 on the rear end ofthe bottom board of the guteter section `already inlplace." AThisinterengaging of the` h ookjandfinger mentioned may be readily' accomplished by holding thefront endofthe folded section about to be positioned at a down-r wardandy inwardangle.` After the' finger has been' engaged inthe opening24 and with thehookv55 as described, the vrear end of said folded sectionris swung intoward the next or` third'cross beam and its rear end is engaged uponsaid beam and its hook 55 then lines up with and enters the opening24aandrecess 24b 'of the third beam. The side'guide board of the guttersection just mentioned is then swung Ainto an open position and theclipA 51on its front end iscaused to engage the rear'endrnarginall partof the like board of the first positioned gutter section. The guttersections 46 and 47 are operated upon ,in the same manner as'is the lastor rearmost gutter section' '44.

This last mentioned 4gutter section is inclined downwardly towards itsrear end and is provided with a pivoted hook 56 the free end of which isengaged in the opening 24a of the end bracket of the last or rearmostycross 'beam as best shown in Fig.5. A cushion 57 isthen placed in thisgutter section, up against said beam to act as a ball-'stop for thereturned balls. Thus with this section', inclined as mentioned, theballs returned from the pit along saidV gutter, after va bowl, areretained in position convenientl for the bowler in picking up the ballfor another bowl. If desired both gutters may be Amade in this way, butonly one' is necessary, v

The alley,- as aY whole, may4 bev knocked down for storage,b'y'ope'rationsv the' reverse of those mentioned, and in this-respect,severalv of the folded gutter sections may be placed in between thestringers 4-4 and 5-5 of the various sections. So that the sections maybe arranged for storage in but a small space, we provide even numbers ofthem at diametrically opposite corners on their bottom sides with loops58-58 to receive studs 59 in the other diametrically opposite corners,as are shown in Fig. 13. Thus two sections may be arranged bottom tobottom with the shorter or smaller parts of the alley as a whole in thespaces between the stringers of the sections, as is apparent.

Our alley as described, may b e quickly set up for play Without the aidof toolsof any kind and may be as quickly knocked down for storage.

When set up, the same provides a true, even, rigid alley upon whichbowling may be enjoyed to the utmost. Such'a structureis rigidly bracedagainst warping due to temperature changes. Again, such an alleypermits' enjoyment of the game out in the open such -as in the yard of ahome or residence and may be adjusted for even--l ness despite theunevenness of the turf upon which it is set up.

support.

having meeting" ends,each with a cross member n thereon, a deviceon eachcross member having a part adapted to Noverlap a like part in the otherdevice of an adjacent alley section end, said parts having openingstherein which register when said parts are so overlapped, a support forsaid meeting ends vadapted to be initiallydisposed', longitudinallyof'said sectionsand then turned Vtransversely'thereo, anda ,double cammember carried by said support and operatingthrough the regis-` teringopenings inthe overlapped ,parts ofl said deviceson saidcross membersfor drawing'and lockingsaid vmeeting endstightly together.

2. In combination with abowling alley, a support therefor, a gutteralong one side of the alley and comprising l sections arranged end toend, means on one rendof one section for engaging the support .uponaAlateral movementof said lend of said Aone section and'means on theassociated end of tne other section adapted for engage` ment with saidmeans on the first section aswell as with said supportto lock` said`ends .together and to said support.

3. ln combination with a bowling alley, a supporttherefonhavin'ga.part'extending to one side oi said alley and whichApart has an opening therein,A a'gutter along said side of the alley andcomprising sections arranged end to end, means in one end of onesectionadapted for engagement in said openingy upon 5a. downwardl `andlateral movement of said end ofsaid sectionwith respect to said supportand meansfon the associated lend of the'other section adapted forengagement with said means `on Athe rst sectionas Well as for engagementin said opening in'said support toY lock said sections togetlfierk andto said 4. In combination' with abovvling alley comprisling a pluralityof sectionsarranged endlto end, a-supporting memberior ,the meeting endof ad- -jacent sections and extending at one end'beyond one side.v ofthe alley, a gutteralong said side o f ter section adapted upon a'lateral inward move--l mentor said gutter section end for engagementwithf'said end.Y of said support and means on the associated Vend of anadjacent gutter section adapted also' for engagement with said end ofsaid support for locking both gutter section ends together and'to saidend of said support. I

n 5. `In' combinationwitha bowling alley coinprising` a' plurality ofsections arranged kendl to end, asupportinjg member for the meeting endof adjacent sectionsandextending at one end beyond one side,oithe'alley, and which end of said support has an opening therein, agutter along said 'side or" theialleyfand comprising gut;-

terk sections arranged" end to Tend, means carried on onenend of -onegutter'se'ction adapted upon a lateral movement in'one directionuponsaid 'end of said support, to be engaged in the opening therein and4means on the associated end of the next adjacentfgutter section adaptedto be entered into" said vopening vto lock both ends of said guttersections together and to said support. 6.' A gutter. for a bowling'alley'A including gutter sections arranged end' to end, ya support.'for the meeting ends of twoadjacent sections and having an openingtherein, Va'laterally extending hook at one end of one ofsaid'secticnsand a longitudinally extending iinger yon the other end of theother section, said hook and iinger'being insertable into saidA openingin said support to se-` cure said meeting ends or said sections thereto.

7. A bowling alley comprising a plurality of alley sections adapted tomeet end to end, intere'ngaging cross members on said alley'sectionends, supportingv means for saidalley section ends, a cam 'element 'onAsaidV supporting means, and overlapping devices on said interengagingcross members, said supporting means being adapted tobeinitially'disposed longitudinally of saidr sections so as to bringsaidcam element into partial operativeV engagement with said overlappingdevices, said cam upon a turning of the supporting means intova'prosition extending transversely of the alleysection ends, operatingYupon said overlapping devicesv to draw said alleysection'ends bers`to,getljier perpendicularly.tA`

JAMES, R. JoHNsEN'. y

AXEL'OLFORT.

